Australia wants an accord with Papua New Guinea to safeguard the Kokoda Trail, the World War II battle site, after local villagers blocked part of the track to support the building of a gold and copper mine.

``Australia has the very strong view that the Kokoda Trail needs to be protected,'' Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said yesterday, adding he will make this point to his Papua New Guinean counterpart, Sam Abal, when they meet in Canberra next week. ``The Kokoda Trail for Australia and Australians is iconic.''